Drivers here in San Mateo and elsewhere are keenly familiar with the red octagon that is the stop sign. Drivers who fail to obey a stop sign create an acutely great danger, as all the other drivers at that intersection are operating under the assumption that those with a stop sign will do so. If you’ve suffered injuries (or a loved one has been killed) because someone else blew through a stop sign, then you know how damaging and life-changing these crashes can be. When it comes time to protect your legal rights and seek the compensation you deserve, rely upon an experienced San Mateo car accident attorney to represent you in your legal action.
A recent crash near Modesto is just the latest horrifying reminder of the dangers connected to accidents where someone did not obey a stop sign. According to the California Highway Patrol, a teenage driver moving “at a high rate of speed” failed to stop at a stop sign at a “4-way stop” intersection.
The crash sent the teen driver’s vehicle into a power pole and left seven people injured. Six people required hospitalization. One person was dead by the time first responders arrived, according to an ABC 10 report.
Many times, when a driver blows through a stop sign without stopping, a “T-bone” or “broadside” crash is the result. These kinds of accidents, especially when the negligent driver is also speeding, can often be high-impact crashes that may cause one or more vehicles to spin out, roll over, or be pushed into other traffic. These scenarios often yield serious injuries.
These crashes can occur due to many factors. The driver who wrongfully failed to stop may have been distracted or inattentive, drunk or high, going too fast for the conditions, or been impaired by a physical object that blocked their view of the stop sign.
When you’re hurt in an intersection accident, it is important to have the right legal team working for you. You need a legal advocate who knows how to do a prompt and thorough investigation of your accident and get the evidence you need. That skilled advocate can help you amass the physical evidence, the eyewitness evidence, and the expert evidence you need for a truly successful outcome.
This all very important because that driver who blew through the stop sign may try, in court, to assert that you were the one to blame, at least in part. With adequate proof, like forensic crash-site evidence, expert testimony, and other forms of evidence, you can dispel that assertion.
The difference between a partial success and a complete one
Why is this so essential? Consider a case where you were broadsided by a driver who blew through a stop sign, and you suffered $500,000 in damages, including lost earnings and medical bills. If you have the evidence to show the other driver was 100% at fault, then you can recover a judgment of $500,000.
If, however, the other side accuses you of making mistakes that partly contributed to the crash and you don’t have all of that evidence, then the jury may find the other driver wasn’t 100% responsible. If the jury says you were, say, 20% liable, then your judgment award shrinks from $500,000 to $400,000. $400,000 may sound like a lot — and it is — but for an injured person with a mountain of massive medical bills and prolonged absence from work, that additional $100,000 can be critical.
Whether your injuries came from someone’s failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to obey a red light, or improper failure to yield the right of way, you need a powerful legal advocate on your side. Rely on the experienced San Mateo car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos to be that kind of advocate for you. Our team has a wealth of experience helping injured people who’ve been hurt in accidents just like yours. To set up a free consultation with one of our helpful attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website.
A Driver’s Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign Results in One Death in California’s Central Valley
